Tire.



PATENTBD JAN.'29, 1907-.

H. J. MONDORL TIRE. APPLICATION runfirzmmlmpe.

WITNESSES Attorney.

. Figs. land 2..

o rim 3 and the sheat I p I 'outward therefrom aresi'de rim 'plates. 5, between which. the resilient'portion ofthe tire,

adron J. MONDOR, or HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 29, 1907.

Application filed. February 7,1906. s rial No. 299.993.

5' State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to' vehicle-Wheels,

and has for its object to provide a springwheel especially adapted for rubber-tired vehicles, such as automobiles, the aim of-the invention being to impart resiliency to the tread of the-wheel without resort to a pneu-.

matic tire and the objections incident to the r 5 use thereof, such as puncturing"and the like.

The wheel hereinafter described combines the necessary resiliency or spring action with durability, simplicity, and economy of manufacture and also perfect accessibility, so

zo'that all parts .of the wheel may be reached quickly and removed, repaired, and laced. e

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,

and claimed.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figure lis a sectional side elevation of a wheel embody- 3o ing the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the outer rim-sections or links looking toward the outer face thereof. Fig. 4 is a section through one of 3 5 the rim-sections or links, taken lengthwise of the rim. Fig. 5 isv a detail perspective view of one of the tire-retaini'n wedges.-

Referringto Fig.1, I ave therein i1lus-' trated a vehicle-wheel embodying a head 1, 4o spokes 2, and a mainrim 3, which I will hereinafter term the inner rim. This rim is ordinarily formed of wood,- and in order to protect, the same from unduewear caused by the operative partsjof the tire and rim hereinafter. described said wooden rim is provided with a metal sheath or cover 4,:extending' round, three sides thereof, as shown in osite sides "of: the inner Arranged on op v itilereofandfextending including the outer? rim, moves as it is bolted or otherwise secured to the inner rim 4 by means of bolts or other suitable fastenings 6.

The rim-7, which receives and holds the tire 8, is composed of a large number of sections or links, one of which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the same being substantially square or rectangular in plan .view and provided at opposite ends with oppositelyprojecting ears 9, adapted to receive pivots or pins 10, by means of which allot the links or sections are-'hingedly connected together in the man'- ner illustrated in Fig. 1.

Each rim-section 7 is provided with outopposite sides thereof, the same being undercut or slanted in 0 posite directions upon their inner adjacent aces.,,-a's shown in Fig. 2. The tire 8 is preferably-formed of rubber solid in cross-section and having its inner side out out in semicylindrical form, as shown at 12, to receive awed e 13, one of such wedges being usedfor eac rim-section or link. The opposite side faces of the wedge Y 13, converge outwardly,'and as said wedge is thrust outward it con fines oppositely-"lying portions of the tire between itself and the reversely-slanting inner faces of the flanges 11, the tire being thus wedged withinthe rimsections in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. In'order to accomplish this wedging action,

pressed outwardly, as'shown at 14, thereby orming a recess 15 in the inner face of the "forcing screw 17, which is threaded through an opening 18 in the 'ofisetportion of the link ner faces of the siderim-plates 5 are provided with corresponding stop-shoulders 20., with which the shoulders 19 come in contact to lateral strain on the tire.

wardly-extending tire-retaining flanges 11 at or section and bears at its outer end against prevent the outward displacement of the tire or the rolling of the tire out of the rim in turning corners suddenly and throwing excessive the central portion'of each section or link 7 is link or section adapted to receive and house a nut lfi'and also the inner end of a wedge t-i poulders 19, and the in 5 5 wheel and, moved Between the outer and inner rims is interno nosed a series of helical. springs 21, havm l their larger". ends disposed, outwardly an ressed inward bythe weight imposed on the I outward by the means hereinafter des'cried. The side plates are tneirinner ends bearing against the sheath 4 of the inner rim. One of said springs is used for each rim-section or link 7, and the outer end of said sprin carries a permanentlyattached or integra spring-plate 22, having its 0 posite edgesdovetailed, so that it may be s id laterally into a corresponding recess 23 in the inner side of its respective rim-section or link 7, as shown in Figs. land 2. The inner end of the sprin is secured to the rim 3 by means of a studolt 24, which is carried by and-connected to the spring and passed through a radial opening in the rim 3, within which it receives a retaining-nut 25 and, if desired, a lock-nut 26.

As may be readily seen from the construc-' tion described, the weight of the vehicle and its load is carried on the springs. in two'ways that is to say, the springs below the. center of the wheel act under compressionand those above the center under tension. The outer rim being made up of flexible sections is free to assume the'fproper shape to cause an even distribution 0 the load on the majority of the springs, thus providing an eve'n running resilient wheel.

To repair the Wheel, it is only necessary to remove one of the side rim-plates, when all parts are exposed for inspection. B taking out one of the stud-bolts through t e inner rim any desired spring may be removed, and replaced by another. All of the springs may be thus successively removed, or the outer rim and tire, as a whole, may he slid laterally out of engagement with the springs and replaced in the same manner with ease and des atch.

4 claim 1. A wheel embodying an inner run, an outer rim composed of hinged sections, a tire fitted to the outer rim, and springs interposed between the outer and inner rims and adapted to be slid laterally out of engagement with the sections of the outer 2. A wheel comprisin an inner rim, an outer sectional and flexib e rim, a tire carried by the outer rim, and springs interposed between the outer and inner rims, each spring carrying a stud-bolt at one end removably fitted to one rim and carryin a plate at its opposite end having an inter ocked but detachableengagement with the other rim.

3. A vehlcle-wheel comprising an inner rim, an outer rim made up of hinged sections, springs interposed between the inner rim and t e sections 'of the outer rim, undercut flanges extending outward from each outer rim-section, a recessed oflset located centrally of each outer rim-section, a tire-retaining wedge fitting over such oflset portion, and a wedge-forcing screw passing through said ofiset portion and bearing against the wedge for causing the latter to clamp the tire between the flanges of each outer rim-section.

4. 'A vehicle-Wheel comprising an inner rim, an outer flexible rim composed of hinged sections having dovetailed recesses in their inner faces, and springs interposed between the inner and outer rims, each of said springs being provided at its outer end with a plate having beveled edges adapted to fit slidingly into the dovetailed recess in the inner face of the corresponding outer rimrsection.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HECTOR J. MONDOR.

'Witnesses:

JosEPn C. DRAPEAU, ROBERT' CADDRO. 

